I remember a time back in the 80ís when some people escaped into a fantasy world and played games where they adopted alias names and bizarre avatars. This fantasy world that involved going to war and killing the enemy would become quite an addiction for some. I havn't kept track but I understand the internet has made these fantasy worlds even more complex and addictive.
A new sort of addiction has taken off in the last 5 years called Facebook. On it people are required to show their face and use there real name. It has been incredible at reuniting old friends, keeping extended family in regular touch, networking and meeting new people and building communities of common interest . Knowing people are social and like to connect and interact with real people its no wonder it is an international phenomena. I first visited chockstone for a while around 2000/1 and have only taken a glimpse a few times since. Some of the conversations i followed i soon found its not a place that appeals or is welcoming, and the attitudes, language and way people interact with each other is something like school yard bully tactics where the bullies have their faces masked.

Therefore I ask this question for the sake of a more cohesive climbing community, isnít it time chockstone updated and insisted members use their real names (and face profile if possible), or do you think this is more an anonymous fantasy world than an supportive climbing community.

On 7/02/2013 Andrew Davis wrote:>I remember a time back in the 80ís when some people escaped into a fantasy>world and played games where they adopted alias names and bizarre avatars.> This fantasy world that involved going to war and killing the enemy would>become quite an addiction for some. I havn't kept track but I understand>the internet has made these fantasy worlds even more complex and addictive.> >A new sort of addiction has taken off in the last 5 years called Facebook.> On it people are required to show their face and use there real name.> It has been incredible at reuniting old friends, keeping extended family>in regular touch, networking and meeting new people and building communities>of common interest . Knowing people are social and like to connect and>interact with real people its no wonder it is an international phenomena.> I first visited chockstone for a while around 2000/1 and have only taken>a glimpse a few times since. Some of the conversations i followed i soon>found its not a place that appeals or is welcoming, and the attitudes,>language and way people interact with each other is something like school>yard bully tactics where the bullies have their faces masked. >>Therefore I ask this question for the sake of a more cohesive climbing>community, isnít it time chockstone updated and insisted members use their>real names (and face profile if possible), or do you think this is more>an anonymous fantasy world than an supportive climbing community.

you ask this question while not answering questions put to you on the buffalo horn retro and gridng thread? doesnt cohesiveness require polite ongoing interaction?

The good thing about being anonymous is you can ask dumb questions when you are new. Now that I have been climbing for nearly 2 years the dumb questions are fewer. Overall I think being on this forum has helped me as a new climber. Bullies should be ignored.

That said, Andrew, I agree with you - people behave in a more civil manner when their real name is used (or at least available in their profile). Or maybe it's just that the more civil folk are willing to share their name in the first place. Either way, I'd support having one's name and contact details available as a condition for having an account.

Of course, some people will be punchy online either way - as has been pointed out above, there are not all that many truly anonymous people on this forum. And you were going to draw fire on the Buffalo Bolting thread either way. Some of that is from people who genuinely care about the Mt, they're not just being internet toughies, and it may be worth trying to meet up with them in person.

Anyhow, once the dust settles on the Buffalo thread I hope you find reason to hang around.

On 7/02/2013 kieranl wrote:>On 7/02/2013 nmonteith wrote:>>I totally agree Andrew.>Ditto. I used to rail against it but have given up.

I'm not sure Chockstone is indicative of any of the respective states climbing communities... To me it's more like a pub. My pub experience is limited, but usually there are the old timers holding court at the bar, social butterflies, your angry drunks, annoying drunk yappers and everyone in between.

It'd be nice if chockstone were a better representation of climbing communities but I'm not sure it'll ever happen. Accept it for what it is; drunken pub talk that means little but sometimes, just sometimes, you come across a nugget of awesomeness.

I'm happy to use the same name as my facebook profile, not my real one. I like to keep my real persona, separate to my internet persona. In a modern age where employers and potential sexual partners use google to stalk you it's good to keep some distance.

I agree in part, but I also see the value of some level of protection / privacy of personal information. For instance, some people work in fields where they must ensure adequate professional boundaries between themselves and the clients / patients they work with (eg healthcare). As such, they need to keep a close eye on their online footprint to protect their personal lives and in case a patient searches for information that may be then create an issue or even damage a therapeutic relationship.

I like the system at the moment where you must have an account to view a persons profile details but would not support having a persons name or full name available for anyone to see. I do agree that total anonymity is not necessarily conducive to a cohesive community so perhaps there is room for change but I would stress that there needs to be an allowance for members to use their discretion as to what information they make available.

On 7/02/2013 kieranl wrote:>On 7/02/2013 nmonteith wrote:>>I totally agree Andrew.>Ditto. I used to rail against it but have given up.

i agree to. it is definitely >more an anonymous fantasy world than an supportive climbing community.
as there is vast range of opinions (just like climbing styles) , and it is good that they can be expressed , because like patto hints at , diversity is key to healthy communities.

Weíre d!cks! Weíre reckless, arrogant, stupid d!cks. And many chocky posters are pussies. And other posters are a$$holes. Pussies donít like d!cks, because pussies get fcuked by d!cks. But d!cks also fcuk a$$holes: a$$holes that just want to shit on everything. Pussies may think they can deal with a$$holes their way. But the only thing that can fcuk an a$$hole is a d!ck, with some balls. The problem with d!cks is: they fcuk too much or fcuk when it isnít appropriate Ė and it takes a pussy to show them that. But sometimes, pussies can be so full of shit that they become a$$holes themselvesÖ because pussies are an inch and half away from a$$ holes. I donít know much about chockstone, but I do know this: If you donít let us fcuk the a$$hole, weíre going to have our d!cks and pussies all covered in shit!